Michael Richardson, an electrician with Newcastle City Council, has earned a professional contract

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GEORDIE boy Michael Richardson provided the spark Newcastle United needed to reach the Northumberland Senior Cup final – with a classy strike to kill off Northern League Ashington.

Still just 18, this time last year the Tynesider was plying his trade as an electrician with Newcastle City Council and turning out for Walker Central.

Yet he lit up this tie as the fog swept in on Whitley Park in front of watching United assistant boss Steve Stone.

Richardson has already been part of several match-day squads under Alan Pardew, who has admitted his admiration for the exciting midfielder.

And it was his know-how that unlocked the door for Brad Inman to fire home Newcastle’s first last night before following up when he volleyed home a sweet strike beyond Karl Dryden to book a place in the final against Blyth Spartans.

Richardson said that he knew it would be a tough test against Ashington, though, and was the best-placed man on the field to note that full-time training proved to be the difference.

He told the Chronicle: “When you start training every day it is a bit harder compared to a couple of nights a week.

“I think it showed in the second half. They were tiring and we were getting stronger.

“It was a good win for us and we knew it was going to be hard on a tough pitch.

“This was a cup final for them because everybody in the competition wants to beat Newcastle Reserves.

“Everybody wants to get one over on you and you can understand that.”

Richardson’s goal wiped out Ashington, but it could have been a different story had former Toon reserve team captain Darren Lough equalised just a minute before the flame-haired teenager’s goal.

Richardson said: “I knew a couple of the lads at Ashington and it was funny to be playing against them.

“I think they really wanted to beat us, probably more than what they showed.

“We did well in the second half and overall we can be happy to get through.

“It was a good time to get the goal. Just before it Ole (Soderberg) made a good save and we broke, scored and killed the game.

“They tired a bit after that which allowed us to keep the ball. We got into the right spaces and kept the ball well.”

Playing in front of a crowd of 406, United never looked in danger of a shock exit. On 20 minutes Ashington keeper Karl Dryden made a great fingertip save to deny Inman, whose angled curler was heading for the top corner.

Richardson’s snap-shot moments later also forced Dryden into another block and the ball flew over after the Geordie’s follow-up.

The two sides went in level at the break after a keenly-fought last-four clash.

Three minutes into the second half Inman weaved his way through and stabbed a shot straight at the keeper, and seconds later Sam Ameobi blazed over another chance. But it was third time lucky for Inman when he fed off Richardson’s pass and rifled it into the top corner from eight yards on 52 minutes.

Richardson then bagged an equally impressive strike with an angled left-foot shot that flew beyond Dryden on the hour.

Phil Bell must have thought he had pulled one back from a yard out, only for the boot of Soderberg to produce a breathtaking save in the last minute.